1. The first general
officer insignia was established by general order on July 14,
1775, which stated "To prevent mistakes, the general officers and
their aides-de-camp will be distinguished in the following
manner: The Commander-in-Chief by a light blue ribband, worn
across his breast, between his coat and waistcoat; the Majors
and Brigadier Generals by a pink ribband worn in like manner;…"

2. Stars were first used
to identify general officers on June 18, 1780, when it was
prescribed that Major Generals would wear two stars and
Brigadier Generals one star on each epaulette. Three stars were
established in 1798 for the rank of Lieutenant General and were
worn by the Commander-in-Chief, General Washington. Four stars
were authorized for the rank of General when the rank was
established by Act of Congress on July 25, 1866. Grant was the
first officer of the Army to hold the rank of General and to
wear the insignia of four silver stars.

3. The title of General
of the Armies was established after World War I. No special
insignia was developed and General Pershing wore four stars. He
was the only person appointed as General of the Armies.

4. General of the Army
was established by Congress on December 14, 1944, and provided
that no more than four officers could be appointed. President
Roosevelt appointed Generals George Marshall, Douglas MacArthur,
Dwight D. Eisenhower and Henry H. Arnold. An Act of Congress,
approved September 15, 1950, authorized the President to appoint
General Omar N. Bradley to the grade of General of the Army. The
insignia of grade for General of the Army is prescribed as five
silver stars set in a circle with the coat of arms of the United
States, in gold, above the circle of stars.

Information courtesy U.S. Army.

Brigadier General

Major General

Lieutenant General

General

General Of The Army

The following general officers were associated with
the Signal OCS program.

NAME

CLASS/AFFILIATION

LTG William O. Reeder

CG FM WWII

LTG Thomas M. Rienzi

WW II TAC

MG William B. Latta

WW II Director

MG John E. Hoover

WW II Instructor

MG Kirke B. Lawton

CG FM Korea

MG Walter B. Richardson

CG FG RVN

MG Herbert E. Wolff

Korea Instructor

BG Ransom E. "Reb" Barber

Korean
War TAC

The following
LTGs were OCS graduates.

LTG Robert E. Gray

07-66

LTG Harold A. Kissinger

35-44

LTG Emmett Paige, Jr.

10-52

The following MGs were OCS
graduates.

MG Jack Albright

05-42

MG Gerald P. Brohm

15-67

MG Robert L. Childers

06 42

MG George M. Douglas

51-45

MG David R. Gust

25-67

MG John E. Morrison, Jr., (USAF)

03-42

MG Robert L. Nabors

23-67

BG Conrad W. Ponder

01B-72
(FB 1972)

The following BGs were OCS
graduates.

BG Lawrence E. Adams

FR 1949

BG Raymond C. Byrne

FB 1972

BG Albert L. Gore

07-42

BG Robert L Hohs

05-42

BG Sam I. Huey, Jr., (USAF)

01-41

BG James B. Joyce

02-42

BG John E. Nolan

19-43

BG D. Wes Ogden

54-46

BG Kermit A. Patchen

42-45

BG Joseph G. Rebman

16-43

BG Albert Redman, Jr.

27-43

BG John C. Reppert

18-66

BG Creighton L. Rhodes

11-42

BG Thomas D. Sheldon

38-44

BG George M. Snead, Jr.

27-43

BG Kenneth R. Symmes

FB 1949

BG James M. Templeman

34-44

BG Bernard H. Thorn

20-52

BG Wilburn C. Weaver

05-42

We are looking for pictures to post on this page. If you
have pictures of the Career Officers on this page,
please submit
them to us at WebMaster@ArmySignalOCS.com
and we will post them here. To learn more, click on the Web
Submissions link in the left margin. Thank you.

Click on
the icon below to listen to the pre and post ceremonial march "The Thunderer."